Small Comfort
by Kei Masaki
Summary: Keiichi, after Belldandy was returned to heaven....


Small Comfort  
  
An Oh My Goddess! fanfic by Keiichi Masaki  
(lone_rurouni@earthalliance.com)  
  
Oh My Goddess!/Ah Megami-sama! is the property of Kousuke Fujishima and whoever   
he leased it to.  
  
Inspired by the fanfic "The Heart of One Man" by Anand Rao  
  
"Belldandy!" Keiichi Morisato desperately reached for the sky, trying to break   
through the solid column of spiritual energy separating him from his goddess. If anyone could break   
through that field by sheer will, it would be him.  
But he couldn't.  
And Belldandy, the love of his life, ascended into the heavens, despite every   
effort on his part.  
Keiichi was looking up into the heavens for an hour after she had been taken, as if   
unable to move from that spot. Finally, Urd and Skuld, concern etched into their faces,   
appraoched him. Urd reached out a tentative hand, touching his shoulder--  
--and he collapsed to his knees. His eyes were closed, which Urd was secretly   
thankful for; she was afraid of what she might see in them.  
The failed Ultimate Magic Circle of Warding had drained them almost completely   
of energy, so they had to carry Keiichi back into the house themselves. Once they had   
him safely tucked into his bedroll, the goddesses of past and future began to confer.  
  
"No!" protested Skuld, anger radiating from her face. "We can't erase his   
memories! It would be cruel! Besides, how would we account for the elapsed time?   
Almost a year has passed since Belldandy came to live with him!"  
"Father will assist us," replied Urd, adding dryly, "He owes Keiichi that much.   
And as for the 'cruelty' of erasing his memory, how much kinder is it to leave him the   
way he is?"  
Skuld lowered her eyes. "I know.... .you're right.... ." A sigh escaped her lips.   
"I wish Father hadn't recalled her...."  
Urd nodded, her own heart heavy with sympathy for Keiichi. "So do I." Almost   
reluctantly, she rose to her feet. "Shall we?"  
Skuld nodded, and the two goddesses proceeded to the room of the young man   
who had gained the heart of their sister.  
  
*****  
  
The harsh ringing of the phone threw Keiichi Morisato out of his daydream.   
After taking a moment to regain his bearings, he reached out and picked up the receiver.   
"Hello, Nekomi Tech, men's' dorm.... no, this is Keiichi Morisato.... no, I'm afraid   
Tamiya isn't here, but he should be back around seven.... .'Call Mr. Yamamoto?' Yes, sir,   
I'll see that he does.... no problem. G'bye."   
He replaced the receiver and sighed, leaning back against the wall. This was NOT how he wanted to spend his Friday night. He had just finished his first week of classes, and he wanted to get away on his bike, to just have   
some time away from school.... .but Tamiya, Ootaki, and the rest of the upperclassmen   
had left him here while they went to do.... God only knew what.  
*Oh, well,* he thought. *This is better than listening to their endless teasing   
about my horrible luck with girls. It's not MY fault that I'm so short. I.... I know; I need   
to talk to Megumi; she'll understand.* His little sister was the only one he could have a   
serious conversation with; while filling the role of the little pain-in-the-ass cheerfully, she   
was also loyal and compassionate.  
Maybe she could help him get out of this dark mood.  
Keiichi couldn't pinpoint just when he had started feeling so.... empty. Probably   
had something to do with that jock he'd seen earlier that day with the half-dozen girls on   
his arms. He'd seen the guy in class; he couldn't spell to save his life, and he treated the   
girls like mindless dolls at best.   
Yet they kept flocking to him.  
What was it his American cousin Nick would say? Oh yeah: "It's the same world-  
round: girls go for the jerks." How succinct--but also, how accurate. The thought of   
trying to be one briefly flitted across his mind, but was quickly dismissed. Short jerks   
were just ignored, and he didn't want to reduce himself to their level, anyway.  
*Just four more years,* he told himself. *Just four years here, and then I'll be   
able to find a good job.... something I can throw myself into.... something that'll keep me   
busy.... something that won't give me time to think about being alone....*  
He shook his head violently. This kind of thinking wasn't getting him anywhere.   
As if in agreement, his stomach rumbled. His eyes flew to the clock; four-thirty.   
Grimacing, he reached for the phone book; most places didn't start delivering till five, but   
maybe luck would be with him for once.... .  
The rap on the door interrupted his thoughts. Keiichi rose to his feet and ambled   
over to the door. "Yes, wha--huh?!"   
There was no one there.  
Shrugging, Keiichi started to close the door, but his eyes fell on the paper bag   
sitting on the mat. Kneeling down, he saw that it had his name on it. Closing the door   
behind him, he sat back down and opened it, a quizzical expression on his face.   
The surprise grew as he saw the contents. Parchment-wrapped chicken, with   
sweet rice. His favorite Chinese take-out.   
*What the hell?* he thought. He took the food out of the bag, and also found a   
can of Coke, chopsticks, soy sauce, and plenty of napkins. It was like a small picnic in a   
paper bag.  
At the very bottom, he found a card: Café Heaven. Good food at reasonable   
prices. Delivery 24 hours a day. He turned it over, was surprised to see a phone number written  
by hand instead of printed.  
So.  
Keiichi Morisato was not where he wanted to be. He was unwillingly single,   
trapped here in his dorm by his academic obligations until his seniors returned (that is,   
assuming they even returned tonight). Looking to the food, the food that had come in   
answer to his unspoken prayer, he sighed. This was small comfort.  
Still, small comfort was better than none at all.  
Feeling, strangely enough, better than he had all day, he dug in.  
  



End file.
